BMW’s Concept Z4 has been unleashed at Frankfurt as a statement of unbridled driving pleasure.

The design study offers a look ahead to a series-production version of the car set to be unveiled over the course of next year.

It boasts a shorter bonnet and crisp overhangs to ensure the driver sits closer to the middle of the car than in previous BMW roadsters. The surfaces and forms of the BMW Concept Z4 create a modern and emotionally engaging impression.

The large Air Breathers rearwards of the front wheels act as the source of the flanks’ elaborately modelled surfaces, which appear to have been shaped by the flow of air as it exits the Air Breathers. The appearance of the front-end sparks associations with classic roadster models from BMW.

The styling of the BMW kidney grille is reminiscent of the BMW 328 Mille Miglia. Its broad outline and low-set positioning instil a sense of flamboyance very much in the mould of the BMW Z8.

In a first for BMW, the Concept Z4 provides a vertical interpretation of the four-eyed headlight look, with two light sources placed one on top of the other on each side. The bonnet curves over the wheels, creating an intriguing and virtually seamless sweep over the front end as a whole.

The fluent transition between exterior and interior is clearly visible from both the styling and colour scheme of the BMW Concept Z4. Much of the interior adopts the colour of the car body, with just the driver’s cockpit standing out in an all-black finish that reinforces the focus on the driving experience.